The Devil in Stitches

As rife with meaning as BR songs are, this song just struck me as a straight-up love song, no interpretation needed. Until I read this! :) I had taken it at face value; the singer fell in love with a highly intellligent woman: having a bulletproof mind would be sexy to a man in Bad Religion. The "big pawnshop eyes" and "Lipstick stained teeth" means she is pretty and sexy, but not perfect, which a lot of men also find endearing.

The looking down on the brink, I took to be a wedding/commitment ceremony of sorts, like they did in "Natural Born Killers." Not that the Woody Harrelson character took that vow seriously and cheated on her, but it was still a good scene.

I enjoyed reading the interpretations here, so I shall repay the favor:

The first section establishes several possibilities. The good can perish at any moment, or a beautiful companion may serendipitously fall into your lap. The lipstick on the teeth doesn't sound to good, and dangerous curves could either refer to a stunningly well-formed woman, or the treacherousness of a winding road. Either way, a bullet proof mind implies tenacity (or daftness) and big pawn shop eyes gives the impression of the desire to consume. Obviously not getting to a woman no matter the words used implies a certain stubbornness that coincides with a bullet proof mind.

The second section comes to me more difficultly. "don't look ..." Don't appear? Or don't cast your gaze? It could be both, but I prefer the latter. Especially from a "rumble seat," which is commonly known to be exposed to the elements on old cars. I don't quite get the "strum twice" bit. His music can soothe even the greatest of face-lashing at the hands of the wind? Perhaps another explanation, albeit a less appropriate one, is available here. To strum is to flick, so to speak, usually with the finger. I for one, know my future bride-to-be loves when I strum her, but I shall leave that at that and move on. Tapping every drop. As I noticed in other interpretations, the connection to Thomas Wolfe's work is made. So the beating is from the wind while on the rumble seat of the car that will tap every last drop of gasoline before it stops, or the beating is from the raging alcoholic who only ceases when the alcohol has run out.

I think here is where I may stray a bit from the pack (aside from skipping the chorus). The girl lives on the edge of a knife. If she gets too heavy, she will perish due to gravity and being split in two (or a more likely option: she lives dangerously). The boy is tormented mentally by a failure to maintain, or to contain, any previous engagements. I'm not sure why most others connect the "bringer of destruction" with the man or the devil here. I see it as the girl. And of course it is easy to love a "bringer of destruction" when she is lovely and claims to "love you madly."

Now to the shattered window. Once again, I get the feeling of a car and crash, but I also see a world view. Some people see the world through different lenses or windows. Some are foggy, some crystal clear...some shattered. I, for one, believe many people see the world through a shattered window. Why else would the world over be plagued with inaccuracy and aimlessness? Praying for a song to save her life suggests she is looking for clarity, or that something might rescue her from a horrible accident. A paperback crime: a romance. You ever seen a hardback romance novel? I haven't. And most romance novels are, in my opinion, worthy of criminal charges.

Running wild in the street suggests flamboyancy and shamelessness. The institute of marriage seems to be ridiculed as an ultimate contradiction. Love and deceit. Two love each other, but are lying to their true selves (logical and intelligent creatures). Carrying her home like a bride from the wreckage: here we go again with the automobile reference. So did this destructive crash bring two to one? Cupid is clean out of his senses, so is this really a wise decision?

The brink is the edge of sanity, which is good, as opposed to insanity. The brink to me in this song is that point where you say "I do." Which causes some blurriness with this last section. A decision was made, but also a division. A decision to break with the self and bond with the other? The selfish human urges are as strong as the weather, and this pact with forever (until death to us part) goes into conflict recklessly. Amen, brothers and sisters.

The Bible tells us to marry, lest we live in sin. But the Devil laughs himself into stitches when 1 + 1 = 1. Fun from chaos and disorder.

Sure, some of this makes no sense. I am a bit rusty.

I can't help but be reminded of Honest Goodbye which seems to be the BR take on Capote's "In Cold Blood".
Could this in anyway be connected to another story of infamous American mass murderers - especially the Starkweather and Fugate killing spree comes to mind. A story that has been fictionalized a number of times (Badlands, Natural Born Killers, etc.) Or a personal rendition of a Bonnie and Clyde-type of situation?
It might be far off, but the line "I had a paperback crime running straight down my spine" kinda points to the way these brutal crimes often find their way into being commercialized through books or films and whatnot...?

To me this appears to be a poetic and satirical portrayal of the story of Original Sin
(i.e. pride) and the fall of the angel Lucifer, thus creating the devil, as outlined
in the Bible. And this song does a great job of mocking the absurdities, as well as the
implications of the Biblical account.

The first verse is describing an attractive angel(s), "Cherry lipstick on their teeth
and all dangerous curves," and how she recklessly and stubbornly wants everything,
"She had bullet proof mind and big pawn shop eyes," as Lucifer is described saying in
Isaiah 14:13 "I will exhalt my throne above the stars of God." She is an attractive angel who fell in love with "a bringer of destruction" who's "head was filled with restless ghosts," meaning that she was being seduced by pride leading her to perdition.

The chorus really puts each verse into perspective by sarcastically combining the enjoyment or pleasure of "dancing" and burning in hell for eternity "across the yellow sun." "Because the devil in stitches only has his fun," meaning the devil only enjoys a good laugh "performing for the chosen one" by following God and his perfect and omniscient plan for her and her pride to act accordingly.

I think the rest of the lyrics are a little more literal and easy to interpret. "We can
run Wild in the street" signifying the angel and her pride (i.e. the devil) can do
whatever they want, "like a formal procession of love and deceit" meaning whatever
lies are spread or chaos and havoc they wreak it is all part of an all-loving all-
knowing God's Divine Plan.

The clarity really comes out in the last verse:
"I know he(pride) drove her out to the brink, That's where they (God and the angels)
stood and looked down, that's where they made a division (casting Lucifer from heaven
into hell), declaring war on the weather (allowing chaos, death, and destruction to
follow into existence as a direct result), A reckless pact with forever (while knowing
incomprehensible and infinite pain, torment, and suffering would be an end product)"

"So come on and sing, Sing hallelujah, Right now." Is a very sarcastic ending, mocking
the entire premise that such a plan could ever be worthy of respect, let alone praise.

Fantastic song!!

I think it's essentially a love story.
The first verse is where they meet and find purpose together. She is an addict and he is the supplier. She is stubborn and reckless and he feeds that.
For the second verse fast-forward in their lives to when she is on the brink of destruction(edge of a knife), and he is maybe feeling guilty for what he's done or just being haunted by it all(restless ghosts). He is the "bringer of destruction" but she still loves him. The paperback crime thing might lead into the bridge... I think he chooses to act and change things rather than destroying everything.
Third verse - They end their lives, figuratively, by giving up that destructive lifestyle. Making a division and declaring war on the weather signal to me that they, as a couple, separate themselves from what seems like an unstoppable force. They decide to run and leave the Devil behind.